Jay could face loss of season for referee hit

1of7Jay head coach Gary Gutierrez greets Nathan Garcia at the end of the game against Del Rio at Gustafson Stadium on Sept. 11, 2015.Photo: Ron Cortes /For the Express-News

2of7Jay head coach Gary Gutierrez applauds the defensive effort of his team against Del Rio in first half at Gustafson Stadium on Sept. 11, 2015.Photo: Ron Cortes /For the Express-News

3of7Jay Mustangs football players march out onto the field before their game against Del Rio at Gustafson Stadium on Sept. 11, 2015.Photo: Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News

4of7John Jay High School football players Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas appear on “Good Morning America,” discussing their suspension for hitting a referee in a game against Marble Falls. A reader says it was a mistake to go on the program.Photo: ABC

5of7John Jay football coach Gary Gutierrez (left of center) walks along with his players as they offer high-fives to Del Rio players after their game at Gustafson Stadium on Sept. 11, 2015.Photo: Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News

6of7John Jay head football coach Gary Gutierrez calls out to his team to take the field against Del Rio at Gustafson Stadium on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015.Photo: Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News

7of7John Jay football players exit the buses to the locker rooms joined by head coach Gary Gutierrez (second from left) for their game against Del Rio at Gustafson Stadium on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015. (Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News)Photo: Kin Man Hui, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

Jay could face losing the rest of its football season over the recent referee attack, a UIL spokesperson said Tuesday.

Two Jay defensive backs, senior Michael Moreno and sophomore Victor Rojas, tackled and speared umpire Robert Watts near the final minute of Jay’s 15-9 loss to Marble Falls on Sept. 4.

The UIL oversees extra-curricular athletics among Texas’ public schools and a few private and charter schools. UIL spokesperson Kate Hector said Tuesday among the penalties on the table could be the suspension of Jay’s season.

“It is an option that is available to the State Executive Committee, according to the Constitution and Contest Rules, but I can’t say what the State Executive Committee will or will not do,” Hector said. “It is an option available to them based on the rules that we have.”

Moreno and Rojas have been asked to testify in front of the University Interscholastic League’s State Executive Committee at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Austin Marriott North in Round Rock. Also requested to appear before the committee are Jay head coach Gary Gutierrez, Jay assistant coach Mack Breed, Marble Falls coach Matt Green and administrators from Northside ISD and Marble Falls ISD.

Mike Fitch, the executive director of the Texas Association of Sports Officials, has also been asked to attend along with all five members of the crew who worked the Jay-Marble Falls game.

The SEC will determine if the students failed to comply with rules prohibiting interaction with officials, judges or referees and if school district personnel coerced players into breaking those rules.

The SEC can suspend players and coaches and can disqualify a school or school district that has “failed materially and knowingly to comply with the Constitution and Contest Rules.”

Hector said there has not been any precedent set for Thursday’s hearing.

“This is obviously a very unique situation, and there hasn’t been a case extremely similar to this,” Hector said.

The UIL spokesperson said the SEC may not impose penalties for individuals who don’t testify in front of the committee, but it can also prevent players and coaches from participating in UIL events until they meet with the SEC. Hector said this has happened in the past with coaches.

Thursday’s meeting will come one day after Northside ISD conducts a disciplinary hearing for Moreno and Rojas. The district said Monday it will not reveal any punishments that are doled out, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

This week’s meeting will be the second time for Northside ISD administrators to meet with the UIL committee. Laing and Northside ISD superintendent Brian Woods met with the committee five days after the incident to give an update on what had been done up to that point.

Committee members asked Laing and Woods about the culture surrounding Jay’s football program. Dallas ISD athletic director Gil Garza, who formerly held the same role at SAISD, said he didn’t see any leadership from Jay’s coaching staff.

Laing said the district will respond accordingly to the SEC’s questions about the culture around Jay’s subvaristy football programs, the overall athletic program, the school and the district.

“We have more than ample information to share with them,” Laing said.

NISD’s second public meeting with the UIL will reveal the results of the district’s investigation into the incident and TASO’s investigation into the events on Sept. 4.

“Those involved will have to take responsibility for their actions,” Laing said.

Ben Baby has covered high school sports for the Express-News since September 2014. The native of Grapevine, Texas, attended the University of North Texas and is a proud alumnus of the Denton Record-Chronicle.